"...somebody named Cliff Schecter, an expert. Never heard of him."-Rush Limbaugh

Monday, March 05, 2007

I am a huge fan of Congressman John Yarmuth, freshman from Louisville, who knocked off one of those right-wing, McConnell-clones-in-moderate-clothing, Anne Northup.

Well, besides being a great progressive on virtually every issue, and not hiding behind triangulation, Yarmuth is holding the hearing today that Paddy alluded to below, on Bush's latest Katrina, 9/11 or Iraq--known as Walter Reed.

Here is the press alert in full (full disclosure, I advised the campaign in a completely informal, unpaid capacity in 2006):

Congressman John Yarmuth

Representing Kentucky's 3rd District

MEDIA ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, March 5, 2007

MEDIA CONTACT

Stuart Perelmuter 202.225.5401

Congressman Yarmuth, Walter Reed Field Hearing in Progress on C-SPAN

(Washington, DC) Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) and the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs is conducting an unprecedented field hearing on the substandard care and conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

The hearing can be seen live on C-SPAN.

***

Congressman Yarmuth to Demand Answers from Walter Reed Officials

in Unprecedented Field Hearing

(Washington, DC) This Monday, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) and the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs will conduct a field hearing at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to determine the cause for the substandard care wounded soldiers have been receiving of late. They hope to come away with solutions that will quickly raise the level of care and prevent the situation form recurring.

Although alarm has spread throughout the government and military over the recent revelations about Walter Reed, Yarmuth's subcommittee is the only one that will be traveling to the site to investigate.

In addition to hearing from wounded soldiers and their families, the Committee will also question Lieutenant General Kevin C. Kiley. Kiley served as Head of Walter Reed in 2003 and 2004 and was returned to the post this week. The appointment has come under fire as many of the deficiencies plaguing the Medical Center developed during Kiley's tenure. Adding fuel to the fire, Kiley said that the dilapidated Building 18 was neither "substandard" nor "serious."

Although they offered no explanation as to why, the Army refused to allow the testimony of Major General George Weightman, whose February 28th firing prompted the reinstatement of Lt. Gen. Kiley. Maj. Gen. Weightman has since been subpoenaed to testify at this hearing. The expected testimonies of Weightman and Kiley's will break a policy of silence, which the Army imposed on Walter Reed staff and patients after the conditions were made public February 18th.

The hearing comes on the heels of Yarmuth's call for the U.S. Government Accountability Office to conduct a full investigation into "the adequacy of the Administration's long term plans to provide the full range of necessary services for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars while continuing to care for veterans of previous wars."

"I'm looking forward to getting answers as to how we strayed so far from fulfilling our basic responsibilities to our soldiers," said Congressman Yarmuth. "We absolutely cannot tolerate this appalling level of care for the men and women who were injured fighting for our country, and I will continue to do everything in my power to ensure that these brave soldiers get the care they deserve, and that they get it now."

WHEN: Monday March 5 at 10:00 AM

WHERE: Walter Reed Army Medical Center

WHAT: Field Hearing on Care and Conditions at Walter Reed

WHO: Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3), Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, wounded soldiers and their families, Lieutenant General Kevin Kiley, Major General George Weightman, Cynthia Bascetta Director of Healthcare, GAO

2 Comments:

I've been watching the hearing on Walter Reid today and I've come to the conclusion after hearing from "Urine Man" that absolutely nothing will get done any time soon. There will be some window dressing, but all in all...they don't give a shit. I also think it's sad, but I think our Congress and Senate will tire of this story and not follow through other than this hearing. Once the media tires of the story, so will our Senate and Congress.

I know this sounds defeatist...but I don't have much faith that the Dems are going to have the balls to push this.